[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 11 (Thursday, January 16, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 2384]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-1065]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Notice of Intent to Repatriate a Cultural Item in the Possession 
of the National Park Service, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Ajo, 
AZ

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior

ACTION: Notice

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    Notice is hereby given under the Native American Graves Protection 
and Repatriation Act, 25 U.S.C. 3005 (a)(2), of the intent to 
repatriate a cultural item in the possession of the National Park 
Service, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument which meets the definition 
of ``unassociated funerary object'' under Section 2 of the Act.
    The object is a large ceramic jar, reportedly recovered from the 
gravesite of Tomas, a Hia-Ced O'odham medicine man. Museum records 
indicate that the jar was donated in 1972 to the National Park Service 
by Mrs. Ramona Mattia, a lineal descendant of Tomas. Information 
provided by members of the Hia-Ced O'odham Alliance, a non-federally 
recognized Indian group, indicates that the jar is typical of the type 
of objects placed near a medicine man's burial site.
    Repatriation of the jar has been requested by Josephine Martinez, 
Tomas' brother's daughter's daughter's daughter. The Hia-Ced O'odham 
Alliance has provided genealogical information documenting Mrs. 
Martinez's relationship to Tomas and supports her claim of lineal 
descent based on the traditional kinship system of the Hia-Ced O'odham. 
Mrs. Mattia, now deceased, is the daughter of Mrs. Martinez. This 
genealogical information is available in the records at the Monument.
    Officials of the National Park Service have determined that, 
pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(B), this object is reasonably believed 
to have been placed with or near the remains of Tomas at the time of 
death or later as part of a death rite or ceremony. Officials of the 
National Park Service have also determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 
3005 (a)(5)(A), Mrs. Martinez can trace her ancestry directly and 
without interruption by means of the traditional kinship system of the 
Hia-Ced O'odham to Tomas.
    This notice has been sent to Josephine Martinez, officials of the 
Tohono O'Odham Nation of Arizona, Ak Chin Indian Community of Papago 
Indians of Arizona, Gila River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of 
Arizona, and the Hia-Ced O'odham Alliance, a non-federally recognized 
Indian group. Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes 
itself to be culturally affiliated with this object should contact 
Harold Smith, Superintendent, National Park Service, Organ Pipe Cactus 
National Monument, Route 1, Box 100, Ajo, Arizona; telephone: (520) 
387-6849 before February 18, 1997. Repatriation of these objects to 
Josephine Martinez may begin after that date if no additional claimants 
come forward.
Dated: January 6, 1997.
Francis P. McManamon,
Departmental Consulting Archeologist,
Chief, Archeology and Ethnography Program.
[FR Doc. 97-1065 Filed 1-15-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-F